Results 3,321-3,340 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor
- Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (28 Jun 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will give Senator Richmond a commitment that the letters will be replied to by Department officials. I am very understanding of the work that the principal is going to have to do during the summer. I did a number of projects myself as a school principal. I can only imagine the logistics involved in moving classrooms and all the possessions of a school. I will ask and make sure that our...
- Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: What about the separation of powers?
- Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: No, there is separation of powers.
- Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Hear, hear.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Ministerial Responsibilities (6 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Mary Mitchell O'Connor.
- Other Questions: Third Level Funding (6 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I wish to emphasise at the outset that no policy decisions have been taken in this area pending the outcome of examination of the Cassells report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Skills. The Cassells report, as the Deputy rightly states, considers a number of potential funding options, including the deferred payment of student fees. The report was referred to the...
- Other Questions: Third Level Funding (6 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Deputy.
- Other Questions: Third Level Funding (6 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I hear what the Deputy is saying. I noted at the outset that no funding model has been agreed and we are waiting for the Oireachtas education committee to come back to the Department and me on this. Last night I watched a programme on Sky about the funding model and its difficulties in the UK. I am taking all that on board. With the Minister, I will make a decision on this.
- Other Questions: Third Level Funding (6 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I stated no decision has been made and we are waiting for the Oireachtas committee to come back on the matter. We will examine it. Deputy Broughan said funds were cut by a third. I am not sure it was quite a third but they were certainly cut severely. I wish to put on the record that numbers have grown in our third level sector. I thank the colleges that took in students and educated...
- Other Questions: Third Level Funding (6 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We know exactly what are the difficulties for a working family. I know them as a mother who has lived on her own and who put two children through college. We will take all that into account.
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (11 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources, with certain social welfare and health service executive payments being exempt. In the assessment of means, a deduction can be made for holiday earnings made by the applicant from employment outside of term time but within the reference period. I increased the value of this income...
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Courses Applications (11 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) scheme has been operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and regulated by the higher institutions themselves and not by my Department. The operational management of HEAR has now transferred to the Central Applications Office (CAO). I understand from the CAO that in order to be considered for the 2017/2018...
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (11 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I published the General Scheme of a Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill on 15th May 2017, following approval by Government. The purpose of this Bill is to address a number of issues that are currently impeding Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the national agency with responsibility for external quality assurance and qualifications across the further and higher...
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (11 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (11 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...
- Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions Governance (11 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions, including UCC. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As an autonomous body, the internal disbursement of this funding, along with any funding it receives from private sources, is a matter for...
- Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: So, she was not locked inside the car.
- Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: It started with schoolchildren.
- Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: At a graduation.
- Leaders' Questions (12 Jul 2017)
Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Two women were kept in a car.